as in tale
a traditional description of imaginary events circulated orally among a people
West African folktales that continue to be passed from generation to generation through storytelling
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Recent Examples of folktale
Interspersed in the narrative, there are South Asian folktales about a jackal who is punished for pretending to be a king and a foolish man who puts all his eggs in a basket.
—
Malaka Gharib, NPR, 21 Mar. 2025
The movie opens like an old folktale, and that tone pervades the rest of the narrative.
—Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Feb. 2025
A lot of the folktales referenced in Rabbit Trap are drawn from this one text from 1880, called British Goblins, from an American anthropologist called Wirt Sikes, who traveled through Wales, collected stories and sightings of goblins and fairies.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 31 Jan. 2025
Her songs involve dark folktales, animal encounters, and bad uncles.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 28 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for folktale
Malaka Gharib, NPR, 21 Mar. 2025
The movie opens like an old folktale, and that tone pervades the rest of the narrative.
—Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Feb. 2025
A lot of the folktales referenced in Rabbit Trap are drawn from this one text from 1880, called British Goblins, from an American anthropologist called Wirt Sikes, who traveled through Wales, collected stories and sightings of goblins and fairies.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 31 Jan. 2025
Her songs involve dark folktales, animal encounters, and bad uncles.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 28 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for folktale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for folktale
Noun
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Guns, knives, swords, cleavers, axes, ice picks and flamethrowers will all be put to use in this tale of a revenge.—
Andrew Torgan,
CNN Money,
1 June 2025
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For all that this season marks a new epoch in the tale of booming UEFA prize money, cash will be far from the thoughts of Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday evening in Munich.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
31 May 2025
Noun
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And the troubadour legend, who haunted those same Village clubs during that same time, was…a bit underwhelmed.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
4 June 2025
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The Axeman remains one of New Orleans’ most enduring legends, inspiring books, jazz ballads and even an appearance in American Horror Story, the FX series.—
Christina Coulter,
People.com,
4 June 2025
Noun
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Now managed by the National Trust, the estate is open to the public, allowing visitors to step inside and experience firsthand the setting of one of literature’s most enduring love stories.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
10 June 2025
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There are honestly a number of pretty good performances this season (Ivanek is consistently entertaining) but they’re all dragged down by a terrible script and a story that keeps going nowhere fast.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
Noun
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The myth had inspired many works by Old Masters, including several paintings by Titian.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
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The line between the reality and the myth becomes blurred, and this confusion continues to harm women, especially those who are isolated and silenced.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
8 June 2025
Noun
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Left fielder Andrew Benintendi’s five-year, $75 million deal signed in January 2023 is the largest contract in terms of total value in Sox history.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2025
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Only 11 horses in history have managed to win both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, but not the Preakness Stakes, in the same year.—
Wire Reports,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 June 2025
Noun
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An exciting twist on classic Star Trek, Season 3 takes characters both new and beloved to new heights, and dives into thrilling adventures of faith, duty, romance, comedy, and mystery, with varying genres never before seen on any other Star Trek.—
Jennifer Ouellette,
ArsTechnica,
8 June 2025
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The couple previously confirmed their romance on Romeo's Instagram Stories in November 2024, sharing glimpses into their time together.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
People.com,
7 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Folktale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/folktale. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.
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